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Garrigus battled belch to earn East Lake spot

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LA JOLLA, CA - JANUARY 30: Ryuji Imada of Japan prepares to hit his tee shot on the second hole at the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open on January 30, 2010 in La Jolla, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

CARMEL, Ind. – Robert Garrigus battled a belch to earn his spot in the Tour Championship.

It’s easiest to let him describe it.

“I started out like I was going to lead the golf tournament and then an idiot fan kind of burped in my backswing,” Garrigus said Sunday after shooting 69 to tie for fourth place at the BMW Championship. “I’ve never heard that in my entire life.

“It was intentional because he got me right in the back of it. Kind of frustrating because I flinched.”

Burp-gate happened on the eighth hole at Crooked Stick when Garrigus was 1 under. He ultimately made double bogey. But he rebounded with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-16. Even though he bogeyed 17 it was good enough to vault him from No. 31 to 20 in FedEx Cup points and earn him a trip to East Lake in two weeks.

“I’ve felt like I’ve deserved to be there the past few years and I just haven’t put the work in,” Garrigus said. “Now I’m in shape and I’m there.”